Fountain brush



Patented Dec. 15, 1936 Y UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN BRUSH Stephen A. Platt, Decatur, Ill., assignor to U. S. Manufacturing Corporation, Decatur, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 6, 1935, Serial No. 9,540

14 Claims. (Cl. 15--133) This invention relates to improvements in combined cap and brush which in the particular fountain brushes and comprises a receptacle for form shown, may be described as follows: the cleaning or other liquid, and a combined This cap is preferably spun and otherwise brush and cap for dispensing and brushing the formed of thin sheet metal r`and comprises thin liquid over the surface to be cleaned or coated. inner and outer tubular walls 28 and 30 con- 5 The objects of the invention will be clear from nected by the web 32 at the bottom. The inner an examination of the following specication, it wall 28 is formed with screw threads 34 and telebeing understood that various changes from the scopes over and engages the screw-threaded construction shown in the drawing may be made neck I8. This inner wall 28 also has an outin practice without digressing from the invention' wardly directed shoulder 36 at its mouth sur- 10 as dened by the appended claims. rounded by a rim 38 which is located adjacent The invention resides in the novel features of the smooth portion 26 of the neck when the cap construction and combinations of parts hereinis screwed on the neck. This rim and shoulder after described and claimed. form a recess containing a length of tubular 16 In the drawing: packing material 40 which rests on said shoulder. 15

Fig. l is a perspective of the assembled foun- The cap further comprises a brush having its tain brush. bristle-supporting block 42 recessed into the cap The remaining views are all on a larger scale. surrounded by the outer wall 3!! and bearing on Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the the packing 40. The rim 44 of the outer wall is 20 brush-cap screwed on the container, the bottom spun over the outer face of the brush-block so 20p portion of the latter being omitted. that the parts of the cap are not only held to- Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2 except that it sho-ws gether but so that the tubular packing 40 is all of the container and further shows the device compressed endwise between the bottom of its inverted as if in use with the brush-cap partially recess and the underside of the brush-block 42 unscrewed. which has the effect of expanding the tubular 25 Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4 packing laterally to bear snugly all around looking downwardly. against the smooth portion 26 of the neck. 'I'he Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of a reiill brush-block has holes 46 through it leading from container showing the sealing cap furnished the space S bounded by the tubular packing to 30 therewith and deliver the liquid to the brush bristles 48 pro- 30 Fig. 6 shows a modification, being a fragmenjecting from the outer face of the block. tary longitudinal sectional view, the -modification Fig. 2 shows the above described brush-cap consisting in equipping the brush-cap with a screwed on the neck of the receptacle with the needle-point. hole in the apex of the flatly conical web shut by The combined liquid receptacle and brush contact with the underside of the brush-block. 35 illustrated in the drawing is a preferred form of Preferably the actual contact is made with a device within the invention. Referring to the suitable packing material which may consist of a drawing, the container I0 for the liquid may be disc 50 of a suitable very soft metal or alloy remade of any suitable material such as sheet cessed in the brush-block preferably flush with metal,` a phenol condensation product or other its underside as shown. 40 suitable moldable plastic which will preferably Whereas Fig 2 ShOWS the deVCe Out 0f use With be transparent to reveal the liquid contents. the Cap Sealing the hOle H1110 the liquid recep- |2 is a permanent closure for the open end of this tafle Fi@ 3 Shows the deyiee inverted as in use container consisting preferably of a sheet metal with the brush'ea'p partly unscrewed whereby the 4 5 member crimped at its margin I 4 to the mouth of liquid is delivered from the receptacle to the brush 45 bristles by way of the holes 22 and 45. the contamer' Extendmg from the annular The tubular packing 40 compressed as described shoulder portion i6 of this closure is a tubular between the brush-block 42 and the shoulder 35 meek e which has lts free end Closed by a ,web 20 frictionally grips the smooth portion of the neck which rs prererabry a Very ejr outwardly dlrected of the receptacle and holds the brush-cap on said 50 cone merced aft lts apex Wth er Small hole 22- neck against accidental turning while the devicey The neck bears Screw threads 24 and also a is being used with the cap partiauy unscrewed. SmOOth l10n-threaded DOIOII 25, the latter Fig. 3 shows the cap unscrewed to an exaggerated located adjacent the closed end of the neck. l extent to make the illustration clear. However, 5.5 Attachable to the above described neck is a in actual practice, the cap need only be unscrewed a fraction of a turn to allow the liquid to seep from the receptacle through small hole 22 into the space S, Fig. 3 and thence through the holes 48 in the brush-block to wet the brush while it is being rubbed over the surface to be cleaned or to which the liquid for any purpose is to be applied.

The aforesaid compressed tubular packing 40 also prevents the liquid in the space S from running down between the screw threads of the cap and neck onto the outside of the receptacle after the user has restored it into its upright position from the inverted position of Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the space S is bounded by the substantially flat web 2E and the brush-block 42 and by the tubular packing 40. The capacity of this space is contrived to be very small. This is important because the cleaning liquid contained in this place after the device has been used is lost by evaporation and wasted. Therefore, as eX- plained the coacting parts have been contrived to keep this space small.

It is difcult to make a combined receptacle and brush-cap which will tightly seal the delivery orifice of the receptacle and prevent the evaporation of a volatile cleaning fluid. The present device has been especially contrived to accomplish this. It will be noted from' Fig. 2 that all of the pressure for sealing is applied right around the very small hole 22 in the apex of the conical web 2G. This causes a preferably soft metal packing 50 to form a perfectly tight seal and closure for the hole which also is preferably the only hole or opening into the lled receptacle in order to make the receptacle non-rellable.

When all of the liquid in the receptacle has been used up the brush-cap is removed and applied to another receptacle, exactly similar, filled at the factory, which is a so-called rei'lll. Such rell is shown in Fig. 5 equipped with an ordinary cap 52 which is removed when the reiill is put into use and replaced by the brush-cap of this invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on a still larger scale of a modification. All parts are easily correlated and identied with corresponding parts in the earlier figures since the same numerals are used on corresponding parts. The only innovation in Fig. 6 consists in the use of the tapering needle-point 54 mounted to project from the brush-block 42 into the hole in the apex of the conical web 2U. The purpose of this point 54 is to keep the hole from becoming clogged. The needle-point or pin is only necessary where the fluid to be applied is of the clogging type such as shoe Whiting, auto polish, etc. The needle-point in Fig. 6 projects through the packing 5E) so that the packing can coact as in Fig. 2 to seal the hole in the web 2B. The liquidfilled receptacles may be furnished to the user with the neck-closing web 2li unperforated. The user will then perforate the web by screwing on the brush-cap which will cause the needle-point 54 to pierce the web and form the hole 22.

While the devices herein shown and described, constitute a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted, all coming within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for example, a sponge, a fabric or other kind of brushing material may be substituted for the bristles of the brush-block as an obvious equivalent thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a tubular neck with its free end closed by a web which is coned outwardly, said neck being formed with screw threads and with a Smooth portion between said threaded portion and the closed end of the neck, a cap for said neck having a top comprising a bristle-supporting block of a brush and whose skirt is a tubular member, the bore of which skirt being formed with screw threads to engage said threaded neck and being further formed with an annular recess which is open towards the top and which contains a length of packing material located adjacent the smooth portion of the neck when the cap is screwed on the neck, the aforesaid brush-block and tubular skirt being separate members secured together so that the aforesaid packing is compressed endwise and expanded laterally between the bottom of its recess and the underside of said block to bear against the smooth portion of the neck, the aforesaid conical neck-closing web having a hole through its apex closed by contact with the under-- side of the brush-block when the cap is screwed on the neck, and said brush-block having holes leading through it from the space within the packing to the brush bristles projecting from the outer face of the block.

2. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle for a cleaning liquid, a closure secured to one end of the receptacle having an annular shoulder portion supporting a tubular neck which has its free end closed by a web, said neck being formed with screw threads and having a smooth portion between said threaded portion and said closed end, a cap having spaced inner and outer tubular walls connected by a web at the bottom, said inner wall being formed with screw threads to telescope over and engage said screw-threaded neck and having an outwardly directed shoulder at its mouth surrounded by a rim adjacent the aforesaid smooth portion of the neck when the cap is screwed on the neck, said rim and shoulder forming a recess containing packing material, said cap further comprising a brush having its bristle-supporting block recessed into the cap surrounded by the outer wall thereof and bearing on said packing material, the outer wall and said block being secured together with the packing material compressed endwise and expanded laterally to bear against said smooth portion of the neck, the aforesaid neck-closing web having a hole through it closed by said brush-block when the cap is screwed on the neck, and said brushblock having holes through it leading from the space bounded by the packing material to the brush-bristles projecting from the outer face of said block.

3. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle provided with a tubular neck having an end wall, a portion of said end wall'having a convex form and having a restricted opening in the apex of said convex portion, a cap member rotatably mounted on said tubular neck and provided with a brush-block, said cap member comprising spaced inner and outer walls, said brush-block being held between said inner and outer walls, said cap member having a substantially flat valve member secured thereto for opening and closing said restricted opening in said convex portion by rotation of said cap member without removing said cap member from said tubular neck.

4. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle for cleaning fluid, a tubular neck on said receptacle and having a restricted opening, said neck being formed with a threaded portion and having a smooth portion between said threaded portion and the end of said neck, a cap having spaced thin inner and outer walls, said inner Wall being formed with a threaded portion to telescope over and engage the threaded portion on said neck, said inner wall having a shoulder surrounded by a rim to form a recess, packing material in said recess, a brush mounted on said cap and having a brushblock secured to said cap by said outer wall and bearing on said packing material, said packing material being pressed to bear against said smooth portion of said neck, said restricted opening in said neck being closed by said brush-block when said cap is screwed on said neck.

5. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle for cleaning uid, a tubular neck on said receptacle and having a restricted opening, said neck being formed with a threaded portion and having a smooth portion between said threaded portion and the end of said neck, a cap having spaced thin inner and outer walls, said inner wall being formed with a threaded portion to telescope over and engage the threaded portion on said neck, said inner wall having a shoulder surrounded by a rim to form a recess, packing material in said recess, a brush mounted on said cap and having a brush-block secured to said cap by said outer wall and bearing on said packing material, said packing material being pressed to bear against said smooth portion of said neck, said restricted opening in said neck being closed by said brush-block when said cap is screwed on said neck, said brush-block having a hole through it leading from the space bounded by said packing material to the brush.

6. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a tubular neck with a restricted opening therein, said tubular neck being provided with a threaded portion, a cap for said tubular neck, said cap supporting a brush and having spaced inner and outer Walls, said inner wall having a threaded portion for engagement with said threaded portion on said tubular neck, packing between said inner wall 0I" said cap and said tubular neck, said brush being held between said inner wall, packing and said outer Wall of said cap, said brush being adapted to close the opening in said receptacle when said cap is screwed down.

7. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a tubular neck with a restricted opening therein, said tubular neck being provided with a threaded portion, a cap for said tubular neck, said cap supporting a brush and having spaced inner and outer walls,

said inner wall having a threaded portion for engagement with said threaded portion on said tubular neck, packing between said inner wall of said cap and said tubular neck, said brush being held between said inner Wall, packing and said outer wall of said cap, said brush being adapted to close the opening in said receptacle when said cap is screwed down aind a bearing member secured to said brush for closing said opening when said cap is screwed down.

8. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a neck provided with a restricted opening therein, a cap for said neck and supporting a brush, said cap having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner wall being adapted to be mounted on said neck, said outer wall being so formed as to securely hold said brush in said cap.

9. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a neck provided with a restricted opening therein, a cap for said neck and supporting a brush, said cap having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner wall being adapted to be mounted on said neck and having a channel, packing in said channel, said outer wall being spun over at its end for holding said brush against said packing, said brush being provided with means adapted to close said restricted opening in said neck when said cap is moved to closed position.

10. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a neck provided with a restricted opening therein, a cap for said neck and supporting a brush, said cap having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner wall being adapted to be mounted on said neck and having a channel, packing in said channel, said outer wall being spun over at its end for holding said brush against said packing, said brush being provided with means adapted to close said restricted opening in said neck when said cap is moved to closed position, said means comprising bearing material secured to said brush.

11. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle for holding volatile cleaning fluid, said receptacle having a neck with a restricted opening therein, said neck having a screw threaded portion, a cap having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner wall being formed with a screw threaded portion to engage the threaded portion on said neck and having a channel at its inner end, packing material in said channel, said cap supporting a brush having a block held in position by said outer wall, said block bearing on said packing material and holding said packing material against said neck on said receptacle, said restricted opening in said neck being closed by said block when said cap is screwed down on said neck.

12. A device of the character described, including, in combination, a receptacle having a neck with al restricted opening therein, a cap for said neck, said cap supporting a brush and brushblock and having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner wall being mounted on and engaged with said neck, packing between said inner wall and said neck, said brush-block being held between said inner wall, packing and outer wall of said cap.

13. A combined brush and cap having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner wall being adapted to be mounted on the neck of a container, said inner wall having a shoulder to form a recess, packing material in said recess, a brush mounted on said cap and having a brush-block secured within said cap by said outer wall and bearing on said packing material.

14. A combined brush and cap having spaced inner and outer walls, said inner Wall being adapted to be mounted on the neck of a container, said inner wall having a shoulder to form a recess, packing material in said recess, a brush mounted on said cap and having a brush-block secured within said cap by said outer wall, said brush-block being held in position between said outer wall and said shoulder on said inner wall. 70

STEPHEN A. PLATT. 

